Dr. Sheth’s Skincare Review – Jain & Vegan products

When I was in college, I accompanied quite a few of my friends, who were battling acne, to renowned dermatologist Dr. Rekha Sheth. In those days, she even had a luxury salon called Iz, where I used to love going for pedicures and hair massages. So of course, I was very excited when, recently, her son, Dr. Aneesh Sheth, launched an entire range of skincare products specifically developed for our unique Indian skin.  Indian skin – as varied as it is – is also very different from either Caucasian and Asian skins. Add to that our tropical climate with high heat and humidity factors, the pollution and our skin’s propensity towards tanning and pigmentation, and you realise that our skin needs products that would target our concerns. Enter Dr. Sheth’s skincare range.

About Dr. Sheth’s Skincare

“Dr. Sheth’s products are specially designed for Indian skin. They combine nature and science to create an exquisite, medically tested, luxury brand that contains the expertise of 3 generations of Indian skin doctors. These are specifically created keeping in mind the melanin production in Indian skin, the genetic predisposition to pigmentation as well as the climatic conditions.”

All the Dr. Sheth’s products are cruelty-free, sulphate-free and paraben-free as well as pH balanced. 5 of these are also Jain & Vegan! One blogger did ridicule this, laughing at the terms Jain and Vegan which, I feel, wasn’t right on her part. When you accept and respect products that claim to be Halal or Kosher keeping in mind the sensitivities of certain religions, then why not extend the same respect to others.  Also, there is a difference between Jain and Vegan – Vegan is of non-animal origin. So vegan products would be made without dairy products, beeswax, silk etc. When a product claims to be Jain, it would not have any root vegetables in it – no onion or carrot extracts for example along with no honey, beeswax etc.

I have been using these products since 3 weeks now  and also bought the Jain products for my mom, who turned 60 this month. If you follow me on Instagram, you would have seen them in the Insta stories as part of my skincare routine. So here are my thoughts and my mother’s experiences on nearly all the products in this range. Since there are so many products to cover, I am splitting them into 2 posts and will talk about the 5 Jain/Vegan products in this one.

Dr. Sheth’s Brightening Daily Cleanser

Price ₹375 / 50ml. Available here.

“Dr. Sheth’s Basic Brightening Daily Cleanser blends rosehip seed extracts along with Vitamin E to provide repair against pollution-induced damage. It’s coconut derived cleansing agents and almond oil provide you with a deep cleanse that brightens skin without drying it out.”

True to it’s name, this is indeed a very gentle cleanser, albeit a very effective one. My mother’s skin is extremely sensitive and it isn’t easy to find skincare products that won’t make her skin react. However, she too, has been loving this cleanser as it removes all the dirt and grime without making the skin feel tight and stretched. She doesn’t use any make up so just this cleanser is fine for her. For me, on the days I have applied makeup, I use this as a second cleanse, after having removed my makeup with a cleansing balm. It is also a very refreshing cleanser to use in the mornings and makes the skin appear fresh and bright.

Ingredients

Purified water, cocoamidopropyl betaine (cleansing agent), sodium cocoyl taurate (coconut derived cleansing agent), capryl glucoside (vegetable derived cleansing agent), Glycerin (hydrating agent), polyquarternium 7 (skin conditioning agent), Rosehip seed extract (brightening, scar removal), Vitamin E (repair), Almond Oil (hydration), Acrylates/Alkyl acrylates cross polymer (gelling agent), phenoxyethanol (preservative), disodium EDTA (heavy metal remover), perfume.

Dr. Sheth’s Basic Brightening Vitamin Glotion

Price ₹800 / 50ml. Available here.

“A high dose of Vitamin A, C and E work together to provide Indian skin the repair it needs. Grapefruit extracts supplements the vitamin C to address issues like micro-pigmentation and dullness.”

Due to the high sensitivity of my mother’s delicate skin, she is unable to  use any vitamin C products for her age spots. Her skin starts tingling and burning so she was very apprehensive about using this. Thankfully, the Dr. Sheth’s Basic Brightening Vitamin Glotion caused very minimal tingling and she has been able to use it daily. She really likes the hydration it gives while also giving her skin a healthy glow.

This lotion can be used on the face as well as the body and since my knees, elbows and feet are much darker than the rest of me, I have been using this on those areas. While I can’t say that those areas have lightened, the tan lines on my feet from wearing strappy sandals have definitely reduced.

Ingredients

Purified water, Propylene glycol (solubilizer, penetration enhancer), Retinyl palmitate (brightening, tightening), Vitamin E acetate (repair), Hydrogenated castor oil (emulsifier), non ionic emulsifying wax, Dimethicone (feel enhancer, scar therapy), Almond oil (repair), Liquid paraffin (hydration), Grapefruit extract (brightening), Mulberry extract (brightening) Arlamol M182 (emulsifier), Cetyl Alchohol (emulsifier), Stearyl Alchohol (emulsifier), Vitamin C palmitate (brightening), Disodium EDTA (heavy metal remover), Phenoxyethanol (preservative), Triethanolamine (pH adjuster), perfume.

Dr. Sheth’s Extra Gentle Daily Peel

Price ₹850 / 50ml. Available here.

“A lotion peel, it works to deliver AHA (alpha hydroxy acids) in a controlled and slow manner to evenly exfoliate the skin. Formulated specially for brown skin, it has calendula to calm the skin along with wheat and oat sugars to hydrate it.”

The Dr. Sheth’s Basic Brightening Extra Gentle Daily Peel is one of the hero products of this range. I absolutely LOVE it. Of course, I haven’t bought this one for my mom because though it is extra gentle, I know my mom’s skin would not be able to handle it. For me, it works beautifully and I have been using it 3 times a week since I have got it.  However, if you have never used any kind of acid product before, then you need to gradually introduce this into your routine. To know more about why acids are important in skincare, you can check out my detailed post here.

I apply this at night, after cleansing and toning, on my forehead, cheeks, nose, chin and neck. I avoid the area around the eyes and the sensitive area around my mouth. This does feel warm / tingly on application but that feeling subsides after a while. After letting it get absorbed for a couple of minutes, I layer it with the Ultimate Brightening Youth Enhancer. When I wake up in the morning, my skin looks awesome! Usually, in the mornings, my skin does look slightly shiny / greasy due to the layers of products I apply but with this combination, my skin looks extremely radiant but not shiny. I also feel like my freckles are getting slightly lighter but I guess those take much more time to fade.

My recent couple of breakouts, though, are a result of this peel. Let me explain – since this peel exfoliates the dead skin cells, it brings up the black heads lying just below the surface. And while I advise everyone not to touch and poke pimples or blackheads, I myself can’t resist the temptation to do just that and so I poke and prod the little blackhead causing it to get angry and me and bloom into a big pimple. Entirely my fault.

Ingredients

Purified water, Glycolic acid (resurfacing, hydration), Lactic acid (hydration, resurfacing), Glycerin (hydration), light liquid paraffin (hydration), Olivem 1000 (olive derived emulsifier), Arlamol 812 (emulsifier), Wheat and berry sugars (xylityl glucoside, anhydroxylitol, xylitol), Steareth 21 (emulsifier), Cetyl Alchohol (emulsifier), propylene glycol (penetration enhancer, solubilizer), sodium acrylates copolymer (emulsifier), lecithin (hydration), pomegranite extract (brightening), calendula extract (calming), grapefruit extract (brightening), sodium hydroxide (pH adjuster), Perfume.

Dr. Sheth’s Multitasking Miracle Cream

Price ₹1350 / 30gm. Available here.

“The Multitasking Miracle Cream is a one stop shop for people to apply on a daily basis with an extraordinarily smooth and velvety texture. It targets inflammation, acne, dryness and aging as well as helps remove daily tan and hydrates the skin.”

This is another fabulous product loaded with great ingredients that help in keeping the skin looking healthy, young and radiant. If you are the kind who doesn’t like to layer too many products and who wants a minimalist skincare routine (like my mother), then this is the product for you. It is a very versatile product and can used in conjunction with other skincare products but works brilliantly even when used on it’s own. It is hydrating and yet doesn’t make the skin greasy nor does it feel sticky.

I use this as my night cream when I am very exhausted and want to speed up my skincare and get into bed as soon as I can. It is a light cream and gets absorbed into the skin easily and I wake up with skin looking healthy and fresh.

Ingredients

Water, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters (hydration), Glycerine (hydration), Caprylic Capric triglyceride (hydration) Cetyl Alcohol (emulsifier), Dimethicone (scar reduction), Xylitylglucoside (hydration), Anhydroxylitol (hydration), Xylitol (hydration), White Petroleum Jelly (hydration), Ceteareth 20 (emulsifier), Vitamin E Acetate (repair), Octadecenedioic acid (brightening), Almond Oil (hydrating), Olive Oil (hydrating), Sodium Acrylates Copolymer (stabilizer), Lecithin (hydrating), Hyaluronic Acid (hydrating), Palmitoyl Glycine (anti-stress), Niacinamide (anti-redness, anti acne), Narcissus Tazetta bulb extract (anti aging, anti sebum, anti hair growth, sugar damage repair), Rubus Fruticosus Liquid Extract (brightening), Rosa Cinina Liquid Extract (antioxidant), Lysine, Histidine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Threonine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Proline, Glycine, Alanine, Valine, Methionine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Cysteine (repair), Stearyl Alchohol (emulsifier), Phenoxyethanol (preservative), Potassium Sorbate (pH adjuster), Glycerrhiza Glabra root extract (brightening), BHT (antioxidant), EDTA (heavy metal remover), Perfume.

Dr. Sheth’s Basic Brightening Daily Sunscreen

Price ₹950 / 50ml. Available here.

“Specially formulated for Indian skin, this sunscreen protects against UVA and UVB as well as hydrates and de-pigments. It has a matte finish, is absorbed instantly and has a minimal white cast.”

As a sunscreen, this is one of the best that I have used because, true to claims, it does get absorbed easily, isn’t sticky, heavy or greasy, leaves almost no white cast and doesn’t make my skin “sweat” like some sunscreens do. However, what irks me is while they have mentioned SPF 30 (which denotes the level of protection one gets from the UVB rays), it doesn’t mention the PA level (which denotes the level of protection from the UVA rays).  To know more, check out my blog post on Sunscreens.

Dr. Sheth’s Basic Brightening Daily Sunscreen has a combination of mineral and organic sunscreens to provide broad-spectrum sun protection. I have been using this everyday and even when I have been out in the sun all day at son’s school supervising activities etc, it prevents my skin from getting tanned. And mine is the skin that tans within minutes in the sun! It also works well as a primer and creates a good base for my makeup. What I really love is the way it has been formulated so that despite having titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, it doesn’t leave a white cast on the  face.  I am not sure if it is water resistant, since I haven’t gone swimming yet, but other than that, I feel this is a really amazing sunscreen for Indian weather conditions.

Ingredients

Purified water, Olivem 1000 (Olive oil derived emulsifier), Octyl Methoxy Cinnamate (organic sunscreen), Octyl Salycilate (organic sunscreen), Titanium dioxide (mineral sunscreen), zinc oxide (mineral sunscreen), Sodium acrylates copolymer (emulsifier) , Lecithin (hydration), Steareth 21 (emulsifier), propylene glycol (solubilizer), Licorice extract (brightening), Sunflower extract (repair), Phenoxyethanol (preservative), Allantoin (healing agent), Disodium EDTA (heavy metal remover), Perfume.

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Despite writing about only 5 products, this has already become a really long post. For someone getting confused seeing the entire range of Dr. Sheth’s skincare products, I would recommend the following for a basic , starter skincare routine – the Multitasking Miracle cream for general skin health, the Extra Gentle Daily Peel for cell turnover and anti-aging and the Daily Sunscreen for sun protection. With these 3 products, you can have a minimalist yet very effective skincare regime.  In my next post, I shall be reviewing the remaining products in their range.

Have you used any of the Dr. Sheth’s skincare products? Let me know your thoughts if you have.